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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Have you been reading Sew, Mama, Sew!'s monthly theme, Make It, Wear It? All through the month of June they have featured apparel-making tutorials, tips and inspiration. I have tried 2 of the skirt tutes with differing success.

Today I tried the Modkid Yoga Skirt Tutorial by Patty Young. Loved it! I've been saving this heavy stretch knit I had bought on clearance last fall from Fabric.com and decided it was time to use it. I had only a yard left so my waist band was only 8" high instead of the recommended 15". It's still really comfortable and I can fold it over. I think the ideal height for the waist panel would be 10"....next time! This one cut and sewed in about 30 minutes and is so comfy. This will become a part of my regular summer wardrobe and I highly recommend it.

Earlier in the month I tried sewing the Poufy Skirt Sew-Along. This is really not a complicated skirt but I struggled for some reason. First, I sewed the pockets shut so I ended up cutting them out rather than tear out my seams and resew. After sewing I anticipated trying on this little skirt but found it would not fit up over my hips. I then tried putting it on over my head but it only fit at my high waist, making my short skirt too mini for this mama. With my big waist/hip difference I would need to add several inches to my back panel next time or make it using my hip measurement instead of waist measurement. All was not lost, as I was able to pass it on to a skinny friend of mine whose hubby loves it as a mini :)

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

I finally made time to sew a Domesticated Skirt using Sew A Straight Line's great tutorial. This little wrap skirt is reversible! I didn't have enough of two coordinating fabrics so I added a band to the bottom of one panel to make two equal sizes. The bias tape is also from the checked fabric. To help keep the sides tucked back against my hips, I sewed down about 8" from the top about 2" out from each hip. Love this comfy, cute skirt!

If you haven't read the tutorial yet, you step inside the two panels and wrap the remaining fabric forward. A fun twist on the traditional wrap skirt!
Linked up to:
Someday Crafts Whatever Goes Wednesday

1. I live 3 hours from the nearest city with a fabric store or department store. No JoAnn's, Walmart or Target! We need to travel to Bend, OR or Nampa/Boise, ID for major shopping. It's been an adjustment since moving to remote Eastern Oregon last summer, but a good change for our family.

2. I try to buy handmade or make the gifts our family gives.

3. I am a former track star - 2 time NAIA Indoor Track All- American. Use it or lose it & it's lost!

4. My real name is Angela Rae, but friends call me Angie or online you see me as Mama Lusco.

5. I'd choose shopping at a thrift shop or yard sale over shopping at the mall...any day.

6. I'm a Foodie - I want to eat real foods without preservatives, hormones or chemicals in them.

7. I'm a country-girl at heart. I like to raise chickens for fresh eggs and grow our own beef. In the summer you'll find me tending my large garden and canning foods for winter. I like living in the middle of nowhere and knowing where my food comes from.

8. My favorite smell is baking bread.

9. If I had to choose one food to survive on, it would be dark chocolate truffles :)

10. I'm a registered nurse and have worked most recently (for 7 years) as an OB/Gyn advice nurse. I could tell you more than you'd ever want to know about pregnancy, hormones, hysterectomies & pap smears!

3. Pass the award along to bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic!

This was REALLY tough - there are so many creative blogs that I enjoy reading...

I am passing this Beautiful Blog Award to the blogs below. I invite you to check them out!

Monday, June 21, 2010

June 13th was my 11th wedding anniversary - and Andy was out of town at football camp. I wanted to surprise him when he got back by making a cute nightie for me and boxers for him. Mission accomplished!

Fall 1998 - Engagement

I've had Colette Pattern's Mini-Bloomers tutorial on my 'Projects To Try' list for a few months and this was the perfect time to try them. Her instructions were very good and the sizing was perfect. These little bloomers do sit very low in the front so next time I'll rise the front about 2 inches.

Part 2 of my little number was the Summer Nightie from One Yard Wonders by Rae of Made by Rae blog. I was trying to make this one on day 4 of being a single mom and my attention span was very short. I mistakenly sewed the bodice pieces on sideways which left a big gap between the breasts. To fix this, I added bust darts and sewed the bottom 2 inches of the bodice pieces together. It's not pretty sewing, but it fixed the problem. I tried to camoflage the stitching with some buttons and it turned out as a great nightie. Next time, this top will sew together in about an hour - I'll be making more!

For Andy, I wanted to try making a pair of boxer briefs out of his old t-shirts. I outlined pattern pieces from a pair of his shorts, added a scant seam allowance and sewed them up. They turned out a little small in the backside, so I'll add some length to the back piece next time and add bigger seam allowances. For fun, I added some monkey appliques to the front. Note: We are not racist! Andy's school mascot was the Rebels and Rebel Pride was their school spirit campaign. Don't want to offend anyone :)

Does anyone know how to rotate photos in Blogger? I have them rotated before uploading, but sometimes they rotate back. Any insight is appreciated!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

One of my favorite Etsy shops, Joy Made Jewelry is having a huge 1/2 off sale in her shop. Nissa has opened a new shop and is closing out her old inventory. She will refund 50% off of the listed price after your purchase. I bought a few gifts and a Mother's Nest necklace for me - only $2.99!!! Check out the great sale and get them before they're gone!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Craft Hope is an organization of crafters who donate their services & products to worthy causes. I participated in Craft Hope for Haiti earlier this year and am planning to help with Project 8: Gulf Coast Oil Spill. Towels will be used to help clean marine animals affected by the oil spill. To help, you can knit, crochet, cut or sew simple towels in either washcloth (10x10) or hand towel (14 x 27) size and send them in by July 3rd. They are requesting cotton fabric/yarns as these are the most absorbent.

Some ideas that would be cheap and easy:
- Buy thrifted cotton sheets and have the kids help cut them to size. Cotton knit does not fray so would not need hemmed, just cut to size.
- Use up your stash of cotton fabrics by layering a few pieces and simply sewing or serging around the edges to hold them together...no fancy hemming needed since they will be thrown out after use.
- Use up your cotton yarn stash to crochet / knit a few wash cloths. I personally have a big spool of cotton yarn from my blue phase but now my kitchen's red, so I might as well make some up to donate.
- Tell your friends to help and fill a USPS Flat-Rate Box to send in.

More information about Project 8 and contact info is available at their blog here.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Crafterhours is hosting Skirt Week 2010. They have divided entries into 4 categories: Children's Skirts, Straight, A-Line and Full and each contestant may enter one skirt in each category. Each group has its own Flickr pool; linked above. Look around and find some inspiration!

I had hopes to make this cute little full skirt with Sew, Mama, Sew but mine turned out too small in the waist and too mini. I may try again, though.

Photo from Sew, Mama, Sew

I have made two skirts to enter, the Ruffled Sideways Square Skirt that I blogged about here

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

This little top took 4 hours from start to finish and could have been about 3 hours if not for the ric-rack, lace and ribbon trims. This is a pattern from Little Lizard King and will be available soon.

The fabric is by Lila Tueller and was purchases from Sew, Mama, Sew's fall clearance sale and the trims were all from my stash. Have I told you lately that I'm 3 hours from the nearest fabric store?!! I'm getting good at making due with what I have! The ric-rack was 10 cents from the thrift shop, lace is vintage from my Grandma Bee and ribbon was on clearance at Michael's last year. I think they add a fun touch to this darling top. I'm sure Abby will feel like a princess wearing it!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Mally no longer needed these turtlenecks so I decided to make them into summer tops. The black one only took 5 minutes to cut off the neck close to the seam, leaving seam along neck opening. I folded the seam to the inside and topstitched it down. I cut the sleeves at a short-sleeve length and left these unhemmed. Finished!

With the white turtleneck, I removed the entire collar and neck seam as well as both sleeves and sleeve seams. For the sleeves, I serged the raw edge then added cap sleeves. I added a bib front with 3 buttons then serged the neck opening. Fast, cute and free!

Mally has a new pair of favorite shorts - the Side Panel Upcycled Jeans-to-Shorts. I started with a pair of too-small jeans and cut them to shorts length. Also trim off the thick seams along the outer edge.

Next, cut 4 side panels about 3" wide by the length of your shorts. Place these right-sides together, finish the top (narrow) edge, then turn right-sides out.

Sew panel to front side of jeans. Serge or overcast seams.

If you are sewing a small size, finish the bottom hem now. I just serged mine but you could add bias trim, a rolled hem or just straight stitch and let it fray a little.

Turn pants wrong-side out and pin panel to back side; sew then serge or overcast. You are finished!